The National Black Programming Consortium grew concerned that there was a general lack of multidimensional Haitian perspectives in the mainstream media on what is undoubtedly one of the biggest natural disasters of 2010 — the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that caused widespread death and destruction in Haiti.
In an effort to present a 360-degree perspective, the season opener of “AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange,” a documentary series produced by the Consortium, marks the Jan. 12 anniversary of the catastrophic earthquake that claimed countless lives and caused major damage in several settlements in Haiti, including Port-au-Prince.
Now in its third season, “AfroPoP” transports viewers into the lives of men and women in the contemporary African Diaspora and one of the two films that chronicle the Haitian experience is “Haiti: One Day One Destiny.”
Haitian-American filmmaker Michèle Stephenson, who visited the island six weeks after the earthquake, gives us a glimpse of the emotional impact and shares her perspective and experience in creating this film.
What do you hope this feature will convey to viewers?
I deliberately avoided the sensational stories from the earthquake with a simple goal of bearing witness to the day to day lives and struggles Haitians are facing in the aftermath of the quake. I hope we can convey to the audience stories that reveal the humanity of those affected on the ground.
What emotions did you feel when you were working on this feature?
Emotions ran the gamut and were often contradictory from day to day. There were moments of depression and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the situation, not really knowing whether what we were doing could have any kind of impact. Other times I felt inspired to see people looking for innovative concrete solutions to their challenges. It was a difficult and life changing experience.
Do you think enough has been done to help the people of Haiti or what do you think should be done differently?
That is a huge question! At the moment I try to focus on the small things that we all can do as individuals in our one-on-one relationships with Haitians here and in Haiti. The bigger picture seems so far from being resolved in any productive way that the most concrete action we can take is to engage in that one-on-one interaction and for us to agree to bear witness as artists to the humanity of our people. With that in mind, we can leave a legacy to our children that tells them a more complicated and nuanced story of our people’s experiences and lives. I also think that ultimately the big picture solutions will need to come from Haitians themselves, and that will take a very long time.
Season three of “AfroPoP” premieres on public television stations that carry the World channel (a 24-hour documentary channel) on Jan. 12, 2011, and runs for five consecutive weeks, concluding on Feb. 9. Episodes air at 7 p.m. (EST). Encore airings will show at midnight (EST) and 9 p.m. (PST). Viewers can find content specifically on Haiti at www.blackpublicmedia.org.
–yvette caslin
